Being the Aganatist
by Ivyfern
Summary: Gary's thoughts on the S.S Anne incident.


**A/N: **_If a protagonist beat all other people up, just for the sake of their own happiness and succession, would they still seem as good?_

_If an antagonist takes their defeat and humiliation in silence, and had all they have, taken off them for the protagonist's stepping stones to glory, would they still seem as bad?_

—-

"Thanks for the HM!"

The captain smiled, "No problem Lad, good luck on your journey!" He saluted at me and my partner Raticate, who responded in a clear squeak of joy.

I almost threw myself down the stairs, I couldn't run fast enough to get out of this ship and try out the glowing HM disc. How cool would it be! Seeing my pal Raticate slash through forests, the kiddies gawking at us in awe, wishing one day he would grow up to be as awesome as me.

I bumped into some boy on the way down. Causing me to drop my first ever HM, I flinched as it smashed onto the floor. "Watch where you're heading!" I shouted back in rage, picking up the disc. It's broken.

"Well, isn't it DOUCHE ?" He snickered, his cocky expression added oil to the raging fire in me. Ever since small, he took a like to everything I've ever had. Being my grandfather's 'clever little scientist' when he taught him about Pokémon, Hitting on my little sister every chance he gets, and beating my Pokémon's at every battle, I never had a chance to win. I couldn't say I hate him, I just find him a complete Jackass.

I turned a blind eye to the horrible nickname he and gramps made up for me, an eye for an eye - I can't not fight back. "Bonjour! HERO ! Imagine seeing you here!" I put on my boldest face, " HERO , were you really invited?"

He snapped back coolly: "Were you?"

"So how's your POKeDEX coming? I already caught 40 kinds, pal!" I changed the topic, hiding my humiliated self. The word 'pal' was so hard to come out of my mouth. "Different kinds are everywhere! Crawl around in grassy areas!"

"I don't 'crawl' around in grassy areas, DOUCHE, There's a more sophisticated mean of moving we learnt through evolution - called walking." his retort tore through me like a rabid Sandslash. "Talking about evolution, I bet your Pokémon didn't go very far."

I hissed, "We'll see about that!" I sent Pidgeotto out first, planning on blinding him with my sand-attack, then finish off with a tackle. "Go Pikachu!" A yellow rodent leaped up in the sky, he was at least a level 25, how is that even possible in such short time?

Pikachu finished my Pokémon off one by one in seconds - Pidgeotto, Kadabra, Wartortle… ruthlessly knocking the conscious of them in one hit . My palms were sweating as I reached for another Pokeball, realizing my only hope left was Raticate, who wasn't in the best condition to battle.

I shuffled in front of my partner, trying to hide him from the same fate as my other team mates.

"That was it?" His arms folded, he looked at me pitifully, "What a waste of time, I was planning on gaining more experience points…" HERO pushed pass me, and walked towards the door. As he was half way up the stairs, he paused.

I swallowed, what was he going to do? If Raticate gets in a battle with Pikachu.. it's too risky. I held Raticate closer to me, our breaths trembling.

"Is that a Raticate I see?" He came back down, a hard thump in my heart. It's over, it's going to be over. "You sly Growlithe, DOUCHE , You still have another Pokemon left!"

"Look, just take the 500 yen and leave."

"We promised to try our best, remember?" Pikachu tensed up, electric sparks danced around him. The ship's lights flashed on and off, as if the horrid creature was sucking energy out of the ship like a hungry Zubat.

" HERO , don't you dare!" I backed off slowly.

"Or what? You're going to tell gramps? Oh no wait, I'm his 'successor'." HERO grinned. "Pikachu?"

"RATICATE! RUN!"

"…Thunder bolt."

—-

A thick crowd of people rushed onto the S.S ANNE, I couldn't get past them. I shouted, I tried - I really did, to get through the people barging in.

_Hurry… Hurry…_

I leaped out of the ship just in time as they were closing the gate. One yelled at me when I tumbled on to the land, my dying partner in my arms. The broken disc in my pocket dug into my skin, but I didn't care.

_Hurry… Hurry…_

_"__Hey Boy! What are you doing?" "They ship took off!"_

The usual automatic door seemed slower than ever, I sprinted to the white counter.

_Hurry… Hurry…_

"_Hey Boy! What are you doing?" "They ship took off!"_

_"__How may I help you?"_

Nurse Joy directed me to wait sitting down, but my eyes were glued to my best, and only friend.

_Please be okay…_

The hopping little green line in the background fell flat. "I'm sorry Mr. DOUCHE . I'm afraid there's nothing else we could do."

I looked up blankly, eyes red and sore, I cried to the part that I could cry no more. Ever since S.S ANNE, I loathed every second of my life. Being Champion didn't matter anymore.

I took Raticate off the counter, everyone in the Pokemon center stared at the me in sorrow and pity, their glare burnt through me.

The daylight outside didn't seem as bright, the trees lost its colours, My hands locked to my only hope to live, I saw that devil's Pokemon slashing through forests, the children gawked at him in awe and wonder.

"Young man? Are you alright?" An elderly woman wobbled towards me, "Would you like me to treat your wound?"

I didn't even glance at my bleeding waist, I could feel warmness running down my side.

"No thank you… Where is the nearest cemetery please?"

—-

All the good times we had… I'm sorry I couldn't have saved you.

"_Here lies Raticate,_

_a honourable partner,_

_and a best friend until the end."_

I took my hands off the grave, I couldn't risk to stay too long, I need to move on with my meaningless journey before HERO beat me to it again.

" DOUCHE ! What are you doing here?" I needn't to turn to recognize that disgusting, devilish noise. "You missed a wonderful Cruise! S.S ANNE was wonderful, what a shame for you to miss it."

That fire is back, this time even wilder, even hotter. My hatred to him grew fast with my friend's untimely death. "Hey HERO, What brings you here? Your Pokemon don't look dead." I tried to make a joke.

"Joke about it," A sick, devilish smile played on his lips. "It's the best way to get over things."

I've given up trying to win, I couldn't cast damage to his lowest levelled Pokémon. But like me lying to myself about still having a meaning to life, I lied to myself:

"…I can at least make them faint."


End file.
